Section 6:80

Instruction

Teaching About Controversial Issues

The Superintendent shall ensure that all school-sponsored presentations and discussions of controversial or sensitive topics in the instructional program, including those made by guest speakers, are:

• Age-appropriate. Proper decorum, considering the students’ ages, shall be followed.
• Consistent with the curriculum and serve an educational purpose.
• Informative and present a balanced view.
• Respectful of the rights and opinions of everyone. Emotional criticisms and hurtful sarcasm shall be avoided.
• Free of intolerance, profanity or slander.

The District specifically reserves its right to stop any school-sponsored activity, including the removal of a guest speaker, that violates this policy, is harmful to the District or the students, or violates State or federal law.

Disruptive conduct is prohibited and will be immediately addressed. Disruptive student behavior may be subject to student discipline.

LEGAL REFERENCE	Garcetti v. Ceballos, 547 U.S. 410 (2006). Mayer v. Monroe Cnty. Cmty. Sch. Corp., 474 F.3d 477 (7th Cir. 2007).
CROSS REFERENCE	Section 6:40 (Curriculum Development) Section 6:255 (Assemblies and Ceremonies)
REVIEW HISTORY	1995, 2004, 2017, 2018, September 2022